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Model Projects Conducted in FY 2002 by Local Council for Preventing Global Warming

November 12, 2003

The Ministry of the Environment has compiled results of the model projects that were planned and conducted in FY2002 by local councils for preventing global warming. These local councils have been created in partnerships between the local governments, businesses and residents to take measures locally to prevent global warming. The projects were conducted as demonstrations of measures to prevent global warming that meet the local conditions, as planned by the local councils. In FY 2002, the Ministry of the Environment invited project ideas from local councils across the country, and six councils carried out their projects. The results show that all the projects have made a certain level of contribution to reducing CO2 emissions.

Model project for promoting a lifestyle that prevents global warming

Name of the council: Osaka Nishiyodogawa Ward Naniwa Eco-life Council

The project aimed to reduce household electric power consumption by asking 50 households which had participated in the "Naniwa Eco-life (environment-conscious lifestyle)" program, which encourage keeping household eco-account books. The activities conducted under the project include supporting the installation of a gadget that shows energy consumption and energy saving rates, distributing energy-saving light bulbs, and holding classes on eco-life.

Results:

The amount of CO2 emissions by participating households between November 2002 and February 2003 was reduced by 5.1% from the previous year through their efforts to reduce electric power consumption.

Ube Network's energy-saving monitoring project

Name of the council: Ube Network for Preventing Global Warming
Summary of the project:

The project aimed to reduce electric power consumption through energy-saving activities at households. The Network invited 100 households (80 of which participated in the activities) and 30 business establishments (24 of which participated), and distributed household eco-account books and installed a gadget so as to monitor the amount of power consumption and energy-saving rates. To cut back on fuel consumption, the Network also invited 20 car owners (7 of which participated) to install a device that shows fuel consumption levels on a car's navigation display. It also conducted a campaign of No-private-car Day to encourage car owners to reduce the use of their cars.

Results:

The amount of CO2 emissions resulting from electric power consumption between December 2002 and February 2003 at participating households was down 4.1 % from the previous year, but went up 10.5 % at business offices from the previous year due to a change in business operations. The amount of CO2 emissions by those who participated in the eco-driving project was down 14.9 % when compared with their normal driving habits. Traffic volume on the No-private-car Day conducted in the whole city of Ube on March 7, 2003 was down 1.8 % for business and school uses and down 1 % for shopping use.

Aki-Fuchu eco-community pilot project

Name of the council: AKI-FUCHU TOWN ECO-COMMUNITY CITIZEN CONFERENCESummary of the project:

The Conference encouraged 927 households to reduce gas and power consumption by enabling them to acquire eco-money, which can be used to buy eco-goods, in proportion to the weekly energy saving amount. It also aimed to promote recycling of garbage at community festivals by giving eco-money to those who made efforts to reduce garbage and separate it for recycling. The eco-money issued was later collected by exchanging it for ownership of the nursery tree of Himalayan cherry.

Results:

The amount of CO2 emissions from using gas and electric power by those participating in the project between October 2002 and February 2003 was down 4.6 % from the amount before the project. The efforts to reduce garbage at three festivals in the town reduced the amount of CO2 emissions resulting from incinerating garbage by 17.9 % from the previous year.

Used cooking oil recycling project

Name of the council: Jiyugaoka Community Council for Preventing Global Warming
Summary of the project:

The Council set up collection stations for used cooking oil, which has previously been disposed of as flammable waste, at Jiyugaoka community (5,200 households) in Munakata, Fukuoka Prefecture, and collected it regularly with special vehicles. The collected oil was reprocessed as an alternative fuel for diesel oil and used in garbage collection vehicles of the Munakata municipal government, thus reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Results:

A total 884 liters of used cooking oil from 187 households was collected during five months between November 2002 and March 2003. A total of 1,729 kg-CO2 emissions was reduced by re-using the processed used cooking oil.

"Walkable City, Kyoto" eco-transportation promotion project

Name of the council: The Miyako Agenda 21 Forum
Summary of the project:

The Forum invited people who drive cars to and from work in the city center of Kyoto to participate in the project, and 145 people applied. By offering them rental bicycles at six spots at main stations, the Forum aimed to encourage the use of bicycles and public transportation to and from work, instead of driving their private cars.

Results:

The rental bicycles were used 285 times in total between March 10 and 23, 2003, reducing 148 kg-CO2 emissions as the total distance covered by the bicycles came to 1,655 km.

Introducing rental bicycle systems at a monorail station

Name of the council: Toyonaka Citizens Environmental Conference AGENDA 21
Summary of the project:

By creating a spot for rental bicycles at an existing bicycle parking lot at Senri Chuo Station at Osaka Monorail in Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture and encouraging people to use the bicycles (30 bicycles), the Conference encourages the shift to the use of public transportation and bicycles in place of automobiles.

Results:

The rental bicycles were used 250 times in total between November 2002 and March 2003, reducing 297 kg-CO2 emissions as the total distance covered by the bicycles came to 1,472 km.